Questions tagged with 'past'http://www.grammarly.com/answers/questions/tags/past2015-08-02T15:25:09ZThe correct form of the past tensehttp://www.grammarly.com/answers/questions/69541-the-correct-form-of-the-past-tense/
<p>
I&#39;m starting to learn English and I have one question to U. Please, tell me what a difference between &quot;In March 2010 I wrote my first book&quot; and &quot; In March 2010 I have written my first book&quot;. How to tell right if I did something in the current time in the past? If I have made any mistakes, please correct me.</p>
<p><small>asked <a href="/answers/questions/69541-the-correct-form-of-the-past-tense/">Jul 04 at 10:07</a> by <a href="/answers/users/348987/alex" class="profile">Alex</a>, New member</small></p>
<h3>1 answer</h3>
<p>
I <em>wouldn&#39;t</em> use the Present Perfect with a past time period mentioned (like in your second sentence).</p>
<p>
&nbsp;</p>
<p>
<em>In March 2010, I <strong>wrote</strong> my first book.</em></p>
<p>
<em>I <strong>wrote</strong> my first book in March 2010.</em></p>
<p>
<em>I <strong>wrote</strong> my first book in the March of 2010.</em></p>
<p><small>answered <a href="/answers/questions/69541-the-correct-form-of-the-past-tense/#answer_45037">Jul 07 at 17:06</a> by <a href="/answers/users/344863/abdul-quadir" class="profile">Abdul Quadir</a>, Contributor</small></p>
Past tense within past tense - Flashback within a flashbackhttp://www.grammarly.com/answers/questions/69537-past-tense-within-past-tense-flashback-within-a-flashback/
<p>
Hello,</p>
<p>
&nbsp;</p>
<p>
I have a question about tense. I always wonder which one should be used.</p>
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<br />
Shouls past tense&nbsp;be used when writing a flashback even if there is a flashback within the past event? </p>
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&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Example:</p>
<p>
Flashback1</p>
<p>
Bob looked at Sarah, and she frowned. Bob wondered if Sarah would ever smile at him again. He closed his eyes and thought back to the day that he last saw her smile.</p>
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&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Flashback w/in the flashback</p>
<p>
Sarah had just finished cooking him some fried apples. That was Bob&#39;s favorite dish</p>
<p><small>asked <a href="/answers/questions/69537-past-tense-within-past-tense-flashback-within-a-flashback/">Jul 04 at 00:47</a> by <a href="/answers/users/348975/terrica-duncan" class="profile">Terrica Duncan</a>, New member</small></p>
direct indirect speechhttp://www.grammarly.com/answers/questions/68769-direct-indirect-speech/
<p>
Could anyone help me in understanding the speech.</p>
<p>
Rama said, &quot;I have small height.&quot;</p>
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&nbsp;Wondering that if the indirect speech goes this way- Rama said that he had small height.</p>
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So now &nbsp;rama doesn&#39;t have small height or what?</p>
<p><small>asked <a href="/answers/questions/68769-direct-indirect-speech/">Jun 08 at 11:24</a> by <a href="/answers/users/347253/nandini" class="profile">NANDINI</a>, New member</small></p>
<h3>2 answers</h3>
<p>We do not say that someone has (or had) "small height." You could say that a person IS small IN height. Normally, though, we just say that someone is short. We use the simple present for a fact that remains true, even if we are talking about something in the past. He said it in the past, but unless he has grown, he is still short. </p>
<p>Rama said, "I am short."</p>
<p>Rama said that he is short.</p>
<p><small>answered <a href="/answers/questions/68769-direct-indirect-speech/#answer_44259">Jun 08 at 11:52</a> by <a href="/answers/users/24140/patty-t" class="profile">Patty T</a>, Grammarly Fellow</small></p>
<p>Thank you Patty!</p>
<p><small>answered <a href="/answers/questions/68769-direct-indirect-speech/#answer_44333">Jun 10 at 11:18</a> by <a href="/answers/users/347253/nandini" class="profile">NANDINI</a>, New member</small></p>
regarding tenseshttp://www.grammarly.com/answers/questions/68699-regarding-tenses/
<p>
which one of the following is correct and why.</p>
<p>
&nbsp;1. I left him to make sure he was not in pain.(as I cause some sort of botheration to him)</p>
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2. I left him to make sure he is not in pain.</p>
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2. I left him to make sure he will not be in pain forever.&nbsp;</p>
<p><small>asked <a href="/answers/questions/68699-regarding-tenses/">Jun 05 at 03:44</a> by <a href="/answers/users/347253/nandini" class="profile">NANDINI</a>, New member</small></p>
<h3>2 answers</h3>
<p>all 3 seems ok</p>
<p><small>answered <a href="/answers/questions/68699-regarding-tenses/#answer_44209">Jun 05 at 09:01</a> by <a href="/answers/users/131327/debi" class="profile">debi</a>, New member</small></p>
<p>all 3 looks ok</p>
<p><small>answered <a href="/answers/questions/68699-regarding-tenses/#answer_44215">Jun 05 at 09:06</a> by <a href="/answers/users/131327/debi" class="profile">debi</a>, New member</small></p>
Simple Past vs. Past Perfecthttp://www.grammarly.com/answers/questions/55297-simple-past-vs-past-perfect/
<p>
Which would be the more accurate or correct tense: <em>After several sessions of chemotherapy, my husband&#39;s life had been saved</em> OR <em>my husband was saved</em>?</p>
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&nbsp;</p>
<p>
If the past perfect tense is the correct sentence, why would we use it instead of past simple? Isn&#39;t past perfect used to describe an action in the past that happened BEFORE another action? The sentence above describes an action following another action...&nbsp;</p>
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&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Thanks! I appreciate any type of response :)</p>
<p><small>asked <a href="/answers/questions/55297-simple-past-vs-past-perfect/">Feb 27 at 00:45</a> by <a href="/answers/users/337939/veronica" class="profile">Veronica</a>, New member</small></p>
<h3>1 answer</h3>
<p>Veronica, you have answered your own question because you understand the Past Perfect better than 90% of native English speakers, who tend to use it incorrectly if they use it at all. It's definitely the wrong verb tense here, and Simple Past is exactly what you need. However, depending on how recent and newsworthy the happy event is, you might consider using Present Perfect instead, which is typically used to announce important news: "....has been saved." Also, I am wondering about "saved" as the best verb choice for a medical cure. Consider "...my husband [has been/was] cured" or "...my husband [has been/was] declared cancer-free."</p>
<p><small>answered <a href="/answers/questions/55297-simple-past-vs-past-perfect/#answer_41137">Feb 27 at 08:23</a> by <a href="/answers/users/132796/shawn-mooney" class="profile">Shawn Mooney</a>, Expert</small></p>
past or present tense for sth that was in the past and still is.http://www.grammarly.com/answers/questions/54727-past-or-present-tense-for-sth-that-was-in-the-past-and-still-is/
<p>
in spite of the fact that I have/had an impressive resume, I decided to apply for a job.</p>
<p>
which one correct? have or had? based on the fact that I had and still have an impressive resume.</p>
<p><small>asked <a href="/answers/questions/54727-past-or-present-tense-for-sth-that-was-in-the-past-and-still-is/">Feb 04 at 01:12</a> by <a href="/answers/users/336017/clever" class="profile">clever</a>, New member</small></p>
<h3>1 answer</h3>
<p>All sentences need an initial capital letter.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Your question is interesting, but I can&#39;t easily understand why your sentence uses the <em>in spite of the fact that </em>construction, which is intended for sentences where the content of that clause (I have an impressive resume)&nbsp;makes the content of the main clause (I decided to...) more surprising and unexpected. &nbsp;I can&#39;t see that meaning clearly here. &nbsp;It doesn&#39;t seem surprising or unexpected that someone with an impressive resume would apply for a job. &nbsp;A much more natural use of this construction would be <em>In spite of the fact that I love my current job, I decided to apply for a new one.</em> &nbsp;Something like that.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>In any event, &quot;have&quot; should be in present tense if, as you say, you still have an impressive resume,&nbsp;AND if you have have ONLY <em>decided to</em> apply for the new job and haven&#39;t actually applied for it yet. &nbsp;If you&#39;ve already applied for it, of course it would be much more natural to say &quot;...<em>resume, I applied for...</em>.&quot; &nbsp;And if all of these events are not recent, put all your verbs in the past.</p>
<p><small>answered <a href="/answers/questions/54727-past-or-present-tense-for-sth-that-was-in-the-past-and-still-is/#answer_40563">Feb 04 at 08:34</a> by <a href="/answers/users/132796/shawn-mooney" class="profile">Shawn Mooney</a>, Expert</small></p>
past perfect and past perfect continuoushttp://www.grammarly.com/answers/questions/54025-past-perfect-and-past-perfect-continuous/
<p>Azza was carrying two heavy bags . she ....... The shopping at the supermarket (had done - had been doing ) and why ? And. Is word heavy that she take time in shopping so it be had been doing or what?</p>
<p><small>asked <a href="/answers/questions/54025-past-perfect-and-past-perfect-continuous/">Dec 30 &#39;14 at 00:57</a> by <a href="/answers/users/333677/ahmed" class="profile">ahmed</a>, New member</small></p>
Can past tense be in the same sentense with present tensehttp://www.grammarly.com/answers/questions/54013-can-past-tense-be-in-the-same-sentense-with-present-tense/
<p>
Hi. Are these sentense correct overall? Is my question even correctly formed?</p>
<p>
&nbsp;</p>
<p>
1. The cat urinates on his clothes that were dropped on the floor.</p>
<p>
2. She hates him for the mistakes he made in the past.</p>
<p>
3. She eats a slice of cake that were made last night.</p>
<p>
&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Should question #3 &nbsp;be &#39;a slice of cake&#39; or &#39;the slice of cake&#39; ?</p>
<p>
&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Please help!&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Thanks in advance.</p>
<p><small>asked <a href="/answers/questions/54013-can-past-tense-be-in-the-same-sentense-with-present-tense/">Dec 29 &#39;14 at 14:13</a> by <a href="/answers/users/333647/diana-s" class="profile">Diana S</a>, New member</small></p>
<h3>2 answers</h3>
<p>
1 yes</p>
<p>
2 yes</p>
<p>
3 the tenses are correct, but the second half should be &quot;WAS made&quot; (not &quot;were made&quot;).</p>
<p>
&nbsp;</p>
<p>
You would say &quot;a slice,&quot; not &quot;the slice,&quot; unless they just made a single slice the previous night, not an entire cake, which is very unlikely.</p>
<p><small>answered <a href="/answers/questions/54013-can-past-tense-be-in-the-same-sentense-with-present-tense/#answer_39813">Dec 30 &#39;14 at 18:05</a> by <a href="/answers/users/170187/wallid-fielding" class="profile">Wallid Fielding</a>, Contributor</small></p>
<p>
Wallid answered the direct question ... but I cannot resist pointing out another issue with sentence #1.</p>
<p>
&nbsp;</p>
<p>
In the sentence, the pronoun&nbsp;&quot;his&quot; refers back to the subject &quot;cat&quot; -- so the male cat disrobed and dropped &quot;his&quot; -- the cat&#39;s -- clothes onto the floor. Since cats don&#39;t wear clothes -- at least mine don&#39;t -- the sentence structure needs work.</p>
<p><small>answered <a href="/answers/questions/54013-can-past-tense-be-in-the-same-sentense-with-present-tense/#answer_39855">Jan 02 at 04:29</a> by <a href="/answers/users/31555/jeff-pribyl" class="profile">Jeff Pribyl</a>, Grammarly Fellow</small></p>
make something happenhttp://www.grammarly.com/answers/questions/53315-make-something-happen/
<p>
&quot;He did everything to make it happen&quot;</p>
<p>
&nbsp;</p>
<p>
I have two questions regarding the above sentence<br />
<br />
1. Should I use this instead of it?</p>
<p>
2. Should I replace happen with happened?</p>
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&nbsp;</p>
<p>
I notice that in some cases, the Verb after make is in the form of past participal</p>
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e.g. She had to scream to make herself heard</p>
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&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Why would it be the case?</p>
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&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Thank you so much!!!!</p>
<p><small>asked <a href="/answers/questions/53315-make-something-happen/">Nov 23 &#39;14 at 23:17</a> by <a href="/answers/users/292489/alan" class="profile">alan</a>, New member</small></p>
<h3>1 answer</h3>
<p>
Either &#39;this&#39; or &#39;it&#39; would be appropriate.</p>
<p>
&#39;Happen&#39; is the right word.&nbsp; I cannot come up with a reason or rule why, but I know &#39;happen&#39; is correct. I&#39;m all ears if anyone has an explanation.</p>
<p><small>answered <a href="/answers/questions/53315-make-something-happen/#answer_39055">Nov 23 &#39;14 at 23:48</a> by <a href="/answers/users/132282/lewis-neidhardt" class="profile">Lewis Neidhardt</a>, Grammarly Fellow</small></p>
past or presenthttp://www.grammarly.com/answers/questions/52179-past-or-present/
<p>
is the verb &quot;to teach&quot; past or present?</p>
<p><small>asked <a href="/answers/questions/52179-past-or-present/">Oct 01 &#39;14 at 18:34</a> by <a href="/answers/users/328317/lynn-boness" class="profile">Lynn Boness</a>, New member</small></p>
<h3>2 answers</h3>
<p>
to teach is the infinitive of the verb.... Like in the old song &quot;I&#39;d like to teach the world to sing&quot; it isn&#39;t past.... I taught is past tense.... even I will teach, I want to teach, I should teach.... none are past.</p>
<p><small>answered <a href="/answers/questions/52179-past-or-present/#answer_38155">Oct 02 &#39;14 at 16:22</a> by <a href="/answers/users/328377/tara-rogers" class="profile">Tara Rogers</a>, Contributor</small></p>
<p>
&#39;It is in the 1860&rsquo;s that they began to build the London&rsquo;s subway.&#39;</p>
<p>
In the sentence above, could we use &#39;is&#39; instead of &#39;was&#39; ?</p>
<p>
I need your help..</p>
<p><small>answered <a href="/answers/questions/52179-past-or-present/#answer_38795">Nov 09 &#39;14 at 09:50</a> by <a href="/answers/users/330851/baek-geonho" class="profile">Baek Geonho</a>, New member</small></p>